Falling Starr
by fallenfrmgrace
Summary: One girl has the power to stop the still existing but buried feud between Shinra and AVALANCHE, but only if she can sort out who she is and what she wants. Based between Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus. Name may change when i think up a better one
1. Over the Ruins

**So after many months of writers block on a certain tv show fan-fic, I've decided to move on temporarily. Hope you all enjoy the new story.**

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"So this is Midgar? Some city of dreams."

"Don't be so quick to judge, Starr," a second voice chimed in. "Your brother thought it was."

"My brother is probably dead, Lia," the first woman remarked, running her fingers through her long, blonde hair. "Just like ninety percent of the population. Lot of good the 'City of Dreams' did them."

Her red haired companion looked down at the ruined city. She sighed.

"It used to be beautiful," she stated.

Starr settled down, dangling her feet from the edge of a cliff.

"So, how did you know my brother?," she questioned.

"It's complicated," Lia answered, staring at a single path of yellow flowers in the wasteland. A pained expression crossed her face, but when she looked back toward her friend it was gone. She smiled warmly.

"We'll find him, Starr," she assured her. "I just know it."

~~*~~


	2. Seventh Heaven

Starr wandered through the town of Edge, barely looking up. Lia had suggested they split up, but this town was so different from all the quiet country towns she was used to. Even Gongaga, where she'd met Lia, was little more than a village. Edge was a city. Finding her lost brother here seemed impossible, especially given the fact that she didn't know who she was looking for. She'd never met her brother.

She focused her pale blue eyes on the laces of her boots. She was feeling a little hungry, but mostly thirsty from the trip. She pulled her PHS from her pocket and quickly entered Lia's number.

"I'm feeling a little thirsty," she said into the receiver upon hearing her friend's cheerful greeting. "Know of anywhere good in town?"

Lia thought a moment.

"There's a little place called Seventh Heaven," she said, quickly giving Starr directions. "I'll meet you there."

Starr hung up and turned to walk in the direction of the bar, knocking into a man walking in the same direction. She fell backward, landing with a dull thud on the ground. He stopped quickly and looked down at her.

"You should be more careful," his deep voice stated as he reached a hand down to help her up. "You might get hurt."

She stared at him in awe. Cautiously she took his hand, unsure of his strange friendliness. She caught a glimpse of his clawed hand, hidden partially beneath his tattered red cloak.

"Thank you," she breathed nervously as her eyes finally met his. He nodded.

"Is there something wrong?," he questioned.

"No," she said quickly. "I'm really not used to big cities. I'm a little lost. My name is Starr."

"Vincent," he replied. "What are you trying to find?"

"A bar… called Seventh Heaven," she paused. "I'm meeting a friend there."

"It's this way," he answered. "You can follow me, if you like."

"I'd hate to be a burden," she stuttered, her eyes finding his claws again.

"I'm going that way, myself," he said. She offered a nervous smile and began to follow him.

~~*~~

_'Where is she,' _Lia thought as she looked up and down the street.

"Lia," Starr yelled and ran excitedly up to her. Lia's gaze shifted from her friend to the man walking behind her. She instantly lowered her gaze.

"Come on," she said, grabbing Starr's hand. "Let's go inside."

Vincent followed them into the bar and seated himself at the bar. He appeared to be having a conversation with a cat wearing a crown, but Starr looked away quickly. He reminded her of an old legend from her hometown. If he weren't so good-looking, she'd have been terrified.

She and Lia found a seat by a window and were soon talking over a large meal and seemingly endless drinks.

"Wow, he's cute," Lia stated, pulling a picture from the wall of the little girl who waited on them with a young boy and a man and woman.

"If you're into that sort of thing," Starr laughed, then looked at the picture more closely. "Tifa?"

"Who?"

"A girl from my hometown. I thought she'd been killed with everyone else. Wonder is it's her."

"Maybe she works here," Lia suggested. "You should ask."

"Like she'd want to be bothered by a little kid from Nibelheim," Starr scoffed. Lia shrugged.

"If it is her, maybe she knows about your brother," she offered.

"And how would I ask?," Starr questioned. "I recently found out that my parents aren't my parents, which they told me just before they were killed by Sephiroth, and I have a brother but I don't know anything about him. Why did I come here?"

"You promised your mother," Lia reminded her, as Starr put her head down on the table with a growl. "Hey, don't lose hope. He's probably right under your nose."


	3. Mother

**Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter. I apologize this one took so long, but as I was reading thorough my draft, I realized that it was alot of Starr and not too much about the FF7 characters, so I went back and wrote this one. Hope you enjoy.**

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**Cloud had come home late from a delivery the night before. As usual, Tifa waited up for him, but he barely acknowledged her, giving her just a tiny nod before retreating to his room. If this bothered Tifa, she never let it show. She waited up a bit longer, busying herself with housework, secretly hoping he'd come back out. After an hour, she gave up and went to bed.

Cloud stood in his room, looking out his window into the darkened city. He felt alone. Sure he had Tifa, Denzel and Marlene, but lately he'd been having dreams about his mother. He missed her terribly. He sighed and looked up into another starless night.

"Figures," he muttered. He leaned against the window, avoiding his bed at all costs.

His dreams weren't nightmares. They were actually pleasant, but they left him feeling empty and hollow. He briefly wondered if these memories were his own or some lingering memories from Zack's borrowed subconscious, but he'd met Zack's parents in Gongaga. No, this was his mother.

"Cloud," she said quietly. "You don't look well. Are you eating enough?"

"I'm fine," he stated. "Tifa takes care of me."

"Lockhart?," she questioned. "You know what her father said, darling."

"She's my friend," he said, hint of teenage defiance coming through. His mother smiled at him.

Drops of cold water hit his face with a gentle patter. He'd fallen asleep against the window. It had begun to rain and large drops fell through the open part of the window. He wiped his face and latched the window shut.

"Cloud?," Tifa's questioning voice sounded from the other side of the door. "Is everything okay in there? I heard a noise."

"Everything's fine," he said, opening the door so she could see for herself. She was dressed in a white tank top and a loose pair of gray pajama pants. She'd obviously been trying to sleep before she'd come to check on him. She eyed his clothing skeptically.

"Are you leaving?," she asked.

"Not tonight."

She nodded, her lips pursed with a look of concern on her face.

"Fell asleep in your clothes again," she stated. He nodded, though he realized it wasn't a question. "Cloud, take tomorrow off. You need to rest."

"I have a lot to do tomorrow," he said, deciding by the look of disappointment on her face that he should let her win, at least a little. "I'll put of the deliveries to Costa del Sol. I have a few for Kalm. I'll be home after that."

She smiled slightly and nodded, seemingly satisfied with the small victory.

"Goodnight, Cloud," she whispered, yawning. She returned to her room. He watched after her for a moment before closing his door and stripping down to his shorts. He lowered himself onto his bed, wondering what his mother would think of his 'relationship' with Tifa. He drifted off to sleep, falling into the bittersweet illusion his mind created.

**~**

Tifa crawled into bed, still concerned about Cloud's actions. She'd heard him talking to himself, something she'd only heard him do as of late. She also noted that it was the third time that week he'd fallen asleep fully clothed. She rolled onto her side and stared at the rain outside her window. He'd most likely be gone already when she awoke, but she made up her mind to try to ask him about his weird behavior at some point the next day. With her mind made up, she finally fell asleep.


End file.
